Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) remains hopeful that a showdown against Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) will be next.

The super middleweight contender spoke with Big Fight Weekend’s Dan Rafael on that possibility. Berlanga most recently fought Padraig McCrory, whom he knocked out in six rounds at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Florida. The stoppage win was his first in roughly three years, having had five fights in a row that went the distance. Below is some of what he had to say to Rafael.

Hear the full interview and more on the “Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast” with Rafael and T.J. Rives by clicking the play button below.

Edgar Berlanga Speaks With Dan Rafael

On Canelo’s victory over Munguía

“He actually surprised me,” said Berlanga. “I thought that he wasn’t gonna knock him out [sic], that he was going to be in deep waters, because of the simple fact that [Jaime] Munguía…has great conditioning, he throws a lot of punches. I thought that would probably wear and tear him down throughout the rounds. Sort of like what [Dmitry] Bivol did to him. But obviously that wasn’t the case. Obviously, Bivol is a much different fighter than Munguía. Bivol was a guy that moved in and out and threw a lot of punches. Munguía, I feel like he just fights one way. But Canelo definitely surprised me. He dropped him. I thought he was gonna get him out of there. I feel like he couldn’t, I feel if he did press the gas on I think he could’ve taken him out.”

On Why He Should Be Next to Face the Mexican

“It’s México vs. Puerto Rico. I’m the biggest thing right now coming out Puerto Rico. I sell tickets, I got the celebrities behind me, I got the whole world behind me. Not just Puerto Ricans. You see on Instagram, booming on Insta right now. The Mexican fans, I love ’em. People want this fight. A lot of people can’t go off of social media, but go on what’s going on in real life. Y’all seen the type of love I’m getting in Vegas. The whole fight week [of Canelo vs. Munguía], me being out there. People want this fight. This fight is going to sell. This fight is going to be one of the biggest fights that’s going go down in history of the sport of boxing. México vs. Puerto Rico. You got a superstar Mexican fighter and a superstar Puerto Rican fighter…”

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